Minutes from the city centre, The Happy Gathering has deservedly retained its excellent reputation as one of the best Cantonese restaurants in South Wales. The perfect place for a fine-dining experience, this modern restaurant presents an outstanding selection of Cantonese cuisine.
This hugely popular venue, which has capacity for 250 guests, opened in 1985 and has been building both its menu and outstanding reputation ever since. There are plenty of tables, but enough space for comfort, and in any case, you won't be sitting here longer than you want to - the service is prompt and the food is second to none, featuring a myriad of fresh ingredients.
On entering the restaurant you are immediately submerged in a cool Oriental ambience, with tasteful surroundings and immaculately presented furniture. With a warm and brightly coloured interior and an in-house pianist, we found the atmosphere to be both animated and refined. There is a selection of menus to choose from: the traditional Chinese menu offers a range of authentic dishes, while the dim sum menu is served until 6pm - these small dishes, which are similar to Spanish tapas, are extremely popular with the Chinese, and prices start from just £2.50. A three-course children's menu is available all day, costing just £5.50 per head. With an extensive à la carte menu also on offer, you really will be spoilt for choice.
After some deliberation, and a quick tutorial on mastering the art of using chopsticks, we started with an immense helping of vegetarian lettuce rolls (£5.80) and spring rolls (£4), which were excellent, before moving on to fried mushroom and bamboo shoots (£5.50) - also delicious. Selected dishes also included Cantonese-style sliced roast duck (£8.95) and crispy honey-glazed king prawns (£9.80). There is also a wide variety of rice and noodle dishes available, which are a great value for money, ranging from £2.20 to £7.30. The meals are flawlessly presented, and the service excellent and attentive.
The two-course lunches are especially popular - served until 5pm, Monday to Friday, these cost just £5.95 per head. The staff are also willing to accommodate special requests with patience and a smile - so feel free to experiment. There is also a great selection of fine wines available to accompany your meal.
The perfect venue for all occasions, from an intimate meal for two to a business dinner for 20, The Happy Gathering is open seven nights a week. The fact that it is always busy is testament to the quality of both the service and the food provided. For those seeking a quiet drink, the downstairs bar area offers an intimate and relaxing atmosphere. Clean, crisp and lively, The Happy Gathering is a fun place to be, and provides excellent value for money. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone, and next time, I will bring all my friends.